Netflix’s Unhinged Puts Your Smartphone on the Hook in a Stormy First-Person Horror Tale

Darkness swallows the apartment building as the Category 5 hurricane slams the coast in Netflix’s Unhinged. The electricity goes out, the stairwell locks, and Ava soon realizes she’s sharing the space with something far more dangerous than wind and rain. Her only way to contact anyone who can help her is through the device that most people carry with them wherever they go.

A quick scan of the QR code on the TV screen connects your phone directly to the game. From that point on, your phone no longer behaves like a normal phone, but rather changes into Ava’s lifeline while navigating the game simultaneously. Just move the phone around in the air, and Ava’s in-game hands will lock on with precision. It’s just as simple to sweep the virtual flashlight beam across a dark room or whatever just tilting the phone in your palm. You can even reach into a drawer or pick up something that has fallen over by making the same gesture you would in real life. The way the game tracks even the simplest motions just makes them part of the survival attempt.

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Ava’s story centered around one particularly traumatic night spent locked inside a building. As the game’s principal character, Zoë Kravitz’s voice conveys Ava’s fragility and determination as she navigates storm devastation and an unknown menace. Sadie Sink plays Claire, a friend who can see into Ava’s apartment from her own window and offers advice via phone calls and messages. Troy Baker plays Ben, the building superintendent, who adds to the danger by being present but is unclear about his motivations.

The game was developed by Night School Studio, the same team that created the Oxenfree series. They specialize in tight, character-based horror that moves at a speed that seems like an intense discussion or a story that is so captivating that you can’t help but want to keep listening. They took that approach with Unhinged, which keeps the overall experience limited while still allowing for exploration of new paths on subsequent visits.

Two game modes are available to control the tension in the game. Story Mode allows you to relax without any strain. There is no timer, and Ava cannot die because the performances, ambiance, and twists make what is effectively a blackout feel much more intense. Standard Mode raises the stakes, with a diminishing timer bar in critical moments. You must find and interact with the correct object before time runs out, or the scenario will reset to where you last left off. Both modes are approximately thirty to forty minutes long, similar to a single episode of a television show.

Netflix created Unhinged for those who already have the app installed on their phones and televisions. There is no need for any additional hardware, such as a controller, or a lengthy setup process to get started. The design introduces this sort of horror to those who enjoy the genre on television but rarely devote the time to play a regular game. It also provides a quick fix for genre aficionados who want to squeeze in a short, intensive session between other commitments – all without breaking a sweat. The game will become available to all Netflix subscribers on June 30.
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